Schizoaffective Disorder

Broadly, schizophrenia is defined as a “long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.” Schizophrenia is a type of psychosis, a mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality. About one percent of the population of the world is affected by a type of schizophrenia, specifically I decided to monitor schizoaffective disorder, which is a “chronic mental health condition characterized primarily by symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusions, and symptoms of a mood disorder,

The first blog I read entitled “Learning to Cope with My Schizoaffective Disorder” published on Talkspace, by Steve Colori discussed his first episode of schizoaffective disorder. It is interesting how when Colori was first diagnosed with schizophrenia, specifically schizoaffective disorder, he saw himself differently due to that. He considered himself “weird” and different from others that he considered were “normal”. It amazed and surprised me how Colori was able to separate himself personally from his illness, he did not allow that to define him. The second blog I read entitled “My Journey With Schizoaffective Disorder” published on Strong 365 Blog, by Syrena Clark shares her story of living with schizoaffective disorder. It is interesting how when Clark was diagnosed with schizophrenia it also made her think of herself differently, similar to Colori, realistically she saw herself as “nervous, quiet and reserved”, but she thought the doctors and others saw her as “unsafe, maladjusted, and a violent

I was able to personally connect myself with their blogs, in attempts to simulate the thoughts and feelings a schizophrenic feels on the inside. A schizophrenic lives in fear, thinking and feeling that someone or something is watching them or out to get them. All schizophrenics are prescribed medication to subside their symptoms and episodes, but with these prescriptions come side effects such as: headache, nervousness, dizziness, which can affect a schizophrenic. All schizophrenics have a unique experience of the world, although they may encounter similar symptoms and themes, everyone may experience the same thing differently. Socially, a schizophrenic is setback in not being able to socially interact with others due to fears that many are watching or out to get them. This tremendously affects the schizophrenic’s relationship with their loved ones, friends, and